San Bernardino County Abatement Notices

Spring in the mountains means it's time for property owners to clear their property of materials that can fuel a wildfire. In June, San Bernardino County Code Enforcement begins issuing abatement notices, ordering the removal of weeds, hazardous trees and other dead vegetative matter that pose a fire hazard.

Abatement notices can also apply to live trees and vegetation, "known as green fuel" that constitute a fire hazard due to density or by being
"ladder fuels" that can cause a fire to quickly spread.

If an abatement notice is issued, the property will be inspected 30 days later, and if it has not been properly cleared, a warrant is issued. This allows a county work crew to clear the property, and the owner will be fined and required to pay a service fee.

Ultimately fire risk reduction is the responsibility of property owners. Under the law (PRC 4291), mountain property owners are required to create a defensible space around their homes and other structures. This means removing flammable vegetation and any dead or dying plants within the fire-safety zones that extend to 100 feet around a home or structure (or to the property line).

"If people do this themselves, we won't need
enforcement."

— Assistant Chief Peter Brierty
San Bernardino County Fire Department

For detailed information on how to comply with these regulations, go to the Defensible Space section of this website.